(Newser)
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George Takei is usually the one doling out criticism for those who step out of line on matters of race or equality. This time, he's the one catching flak from critics. It's over an interview the actor gave to Fox 10 Phoenix in which he called Justice Clarence Thomas a "clown in blackface." Takei, a gay-rights advocate, lit into Thomas because of his dissent in the Supreme Court's gay marriage ruling. Yesterday, Takei posted a message on Facebook addressing those who think he went too far, thought he didn't actually back down. He explains the theatrical origins of blackface as a white actor portraying a "black buffoon" and adds: "In traditional theater lingo, and in my view and intent, that is not racist. It is instead part of a racist history in this country."

Then he goes after Thomas anew, saying he "has abdicated and abandoned his African American heritage by claiming slavery did not strip dignity from human beings." Thomas "made a similar remark about the Japanese American internment, of which I am a survivor," writes Takei, who thinks that "a sitting Justice of the Supreme Court ought to know better." He's still catching flak, though. "Where in the world does George Freaking Takei get off deciding that he’s the new arbiter of American blackness?" asks Sean Davis at the Federalist. And at Mediaite, Alex Griswold has a scathing critique that, among other things, describes Takei's it's-not-racist explanation as "literally nonsense. I honestly don't even know what he's getting at."

LOL.....even the liberals are lambasting their own.........I love it! Free speech to no one!!

ghinthorn

Jul 6, 2015 8:41 AM CDT

There is no defense for Sulu's racist comments. He is a disgraceful narcissistic racist... i.e. he's a liberal.

roberteye

Jul 5, 2015 2:44 PM CDT

I understand fully Takei's outrage and intent - essentially Thomas is a white racist in black costuming ("black face" indeed is a theatrical term - see Al Jolson in The Jazz Singer") . I cannot disagree that Thomas has proven himself to be a terribly obtuse, sociopathic right wing ideologue -- an unfortunate and cynical replacement (thanks to George H.W. Bush) of the great Thurgood Marshall. That said, in this era of lightning speed social media, willfull ignorance, disingenuous outrage, things deliberately quoted out of context, etc. it's probably prudent to measure ones comment - especially one so public as Mr. Takei. Takei has demonstrated he is a temperate, kind and progressive commentator. It was in hindsight an unfortunate use of words for all these reasons, and the "outrage" sadly deflects from Thomas' meanness.